The following old photograph, taken around the turn of the 20th century, shows a carriage of Sanger’s as part of the arrival of the circus to town. It is thought to be Hereford and is probably taken in Bewell Street with All Saints church in the background.
Generally, showmen coupled several horses to their carriages on such parades. Wombwell is known to have coupled up to eight horses to a carriage on at least one occasion.
Published today, a history of the Lion Queens that became famous in the 19th century world of traveling menageries and circuses. One of the most famous is Ellen Chapman, here depicted by Horner with wild beasts. The works are oil on canvas and are a pendant pair. Last known at auction in 2000. This is the last in our series on Lion Kings and Queens.
Macomo and friends by George Christopher Horner. Oil on Canvas, whereabouts unknown
This is probably the closest we will get to knowing how Martini Macomo[Maccomo] (1835 or 1836–1871), the Lion King appeared to his audience. He has been described in the Dictionary of National Biography as being born in Angola (1861 Census aged 25 residing in Bath), although Frost suggests he was a sailor. Others suggest he may have been one Arthur Williams from the Caribbean. This representation was painted by George Christopher Horner (1829 – 1881), an accomplished Victorian animal painter as Macomo and friends. Current whereabouts unknown.
Well that’s what I have just woken up to hear on the radio. So I tried the TV and it’s true apparently. It’s just that what’s apparent usually has a rational explanation, especially when the circus comes to town. You see it’s a very old trick to release a docile lion or other animal when the circus was about to hit town.
In the nineteenth century it brought in much business for George Wombwell and every menagerie and circus owner across the country. Victorians flocked to the show that night.
So people of Essex do not panic it’s probably a stunt. Great British Circus was in Clacton recently and the so-called sightings are in or around St Osyth just down the road.
Animals in circuses are not going through the best of times with animal rights ‘enthusiasts’ frequently harassing the owners. Owners are not doing too well either.
UPDATED FEBRUARY 2016
Often asked about who is Anne Wombwell and who is Anne Morgan I have published as much data as is available to me regarding this issue. It seems the enigmatic Anne is not the mysterious person many people have assumed.
The second in the Lion Kings and Queens series sees the publication of Tommy Day’s story as told by himself during the first half of the twentieth century. It has been passed to me by Jim Stockley of Stockley Trained Animal Consultants. Jim’s family virtually ran Chipperfield’s Circus during the mid-twentieth century and I am eternally grateful for his wisdom and the wealth of information Jim has recently passed to me. Rather than forming the resource for another research paper I have published it here intact. It was written by Tommy Day (aka Martini Bartlett) – and was first published by World’s Fair as related to one L.Fairest. The footnotes are though my own and are made available subject to strict copyright. I have also corrected some minor spelling mistakes and grammar.
Norwich Hippodrome circa 1910
In the early part of the twentieth century the Norwich Hippodrome came about which presented regular Menagerie shows. The name Hippodrome was given to two different theatres in Norwich when the properties changed hands between the owners of the two buildings. The owners of the Hippodrome was Edward (or EH) Bostock in conjunction with the theatrical Fitt family from Norwich. Research is underway to establish as much information as possible about these theatres, thought to be a re-transformation from traveling to fixed site menageries for Bostock and Wombwell, around 1900-1912 in Norwich. It is hoped to publish it later this year.
There has been a rise in the interest of lion taming recently and the research website will be publishing a series of articles on lion training in history. Added today a new article (in PDF format) concerning Montarno from Bostock and Wombwell’s Menagerie.
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Update: This has now been superceded in the new biography volume II of George Wombwell (1777 – 1850) now on sale at Amazon.
Charles Clark’s 1843 broadsheet is decoded and the celebrity status of George Wombwell discussed in this new paper.